Agreement on jail Plan unveiled guard training for kids' vilIaý Page 2 ge Page9 Dundas St. work questioned Page 6 McLean, Canucks plan to win mi '94-995 ___ PagelO0 Il SOGH gives mild support to board stand Alocalnitizens'rouphas givn lukewarm backingte, the Whtby General Hosptal board's demand for retention of some acute care services at the hospi- tai. Save Our General Hospital (SOGH) feols the board should have taken a stronger stand in its response to a Durham ]Region District Heaith Councie suy of acuto care health services in the Wh *ile SOGH wlcomes the bcard's positiono a proposai to convert Whitby Gneral into a réhabilitation treatment centre (see separato story), the grolup says it could have been muchÉ 1;tou b4er. «We are pleased to see the board taldng a position that moves them dcoser to our goal of an active troatnnent, full-service health caro facility," said SOGH spokesperson JoAnne Prout in a prepared statoment. We are disappointed, howe- ver, as it stili does not go far enough,» she said. 'But it does show sonne sup- port and understanding of the position which has been clearly indicated by a large segment cf the Whitby population.» Formed only a month age,. SOGH has collected almost 6 000- signatures on a petition cafing on the Ontario geverient te maintain Whitby General as an active treatment, full-service hospital. ge oup plans on presenting the petition to Health Minister Ruth Grier. «W. intend to go to Quoen's Park to make our case that it is impractical to leave Whitby, a town cf 60,000-plus residents, without a fuli-service hospital,» said Prout. "While other parties are pre- pared to negotiate a diminished role for our community* hospital, we intend to stand firm in our commitment te, improve on what we have 5 so, to proerly serve the resicâents cf Witýy and the surrounding communities,» she added. Prout told The Free Press that while she understands the hospi- tai board talcing the position it did, she does not agree. uIt's let's et the best deal we can,'" she said. Although the concept, cf «regionalized medicine" bas some value, "it loses the huinan ele- ment," Prout claimed. <Medicine is about people,- she said. Durham Centre MPP Drum- mond White has agreed to arrange a Meeting with Grier some time after July, Prout said. Copies cf the ptition will also be sent to the health counicil. July 21 forum on. hospital's future By Mike Kowalski An open forum on the future cf Whitby General Hospialwillb held later this month. Mayor Tomn Edwards announ- cedMonday that a public meet- ing will take place in the Town council chaznbers on Thursday, July 2l1at 7p.m. Varieus communitygroups will be invited te, make their feelings known about a controversiai pro- posaI te convert the hospital into a rehabilitation treatment contre serving Durham Regien. «Were loolcing at up te 40 organizatiens," Edwards toid council., Those invited te attend include the hospital board cf directers, local service clubs, hospital employees, the medical profes- sion and tho recently-formned citi- zens' group Save Our General Hospital (SOGH), Edwards said. Ufl will be diflicult te have lengthy<presentations,» Edwards "But it's an attempt.te make known the views cf varieusýpr ties involved in this issue, ho said. By Mie KWals Whitby General Hospital's board cf directors bas given qua- lified support te, changing the hos!pita's future roI.. The board is propared te, endorse a controversial proposaI te convert the hospital inte a rehabilitation treatment centre serving Durham Region. But before Whitby General officiais give their blessing te the Durhami Region District Meaith Council report, a number cf con- ditions must be met. Chief among them is that some formn cf urgent care and out- patient services be retained and that nearby hospitais in Oshawa and *Ajax can take Whitby patients. "We're net prepared. te accept the statue que, that is no longer an option," hespital spokesperson Marc Kealey teld reporters at Thursday. "But at theý saine time, we're net saying the hospital agrees holus-bolus with the health coun- cil, w. don't," stressed Kealoy, vice-president cf cemmunity rela- tions and deveiopment. «We strongly believe in the role this faciity can.piay under these new conditions,» ho said. Last week the- hospitai board reieased its officiai response te proposais contained in a discus- sion paper prepared by a steer- ing committee cf the hoalth council. A .8tudy cf soute care health services, in Durham ]Region has reccmmended converting Whitby General inte a centre deveted exclusively te the practice cf rehabilitativemodicine. Services associated with a generaî hospital wiil no longer be offrd atthe 25-year-old facility if the hoalth council and ulti- mately, the Ontario government, accept the study's proposais. Whitby rosidents in need of acute care services would travel te either Oshawa General Hospi- tai or Ajax-Pickering General Hospital, tho study proposes. However, Whitby General offi- ciaIs believe there is a «valuable and legitimate role" for the hos- pital te continue providing acute care services, in addition te rolia- biitation treatment. IThese services wouid cemple- nient the more highiy sephistica- ted acute caro treatment te be found at Oshawa and Ajax-Pick- ering hospitals, the board's res- pense states. support for rehab centre * the maintenance cf an urgent care «response capability (one stop down from an emergency departmnent) te respond te, non- life threatening conditions; * a high volume and broad -range. cf out-patient surgical and endoscopic services with exten- ded stay observation capability; * anarray cf other ut-patient services. «We agree that we should get ou t of the in-patient acute care business," said Kealey. "That is in direct lino with Miito f Health and industry thnigthat rehabilitative medicine is a needed source," hoe said. But if the hospfital becomes a "centre cf excellence" for rehabi- litation treatment, the board aIse, wants te keep some eut-patient and urgent care services, Kealey said. 1 "We've proven that the- out- patient acute care services we provide are winners for us,-"lho said. Although the board is willing te acceçt.,a changed role for the hospita, it bas slapped a series. cf conditions on its support.. Noting that the health minis- t has istorically underfunded Whitby General, the board has reservations about the fnancing required te establish and'main- tain rehabilitation services. The board estimates it will cost $24 million te convert the hospital inte, the envisioned treatment centre. (Anywhere from 80 te 140 beds wiIl be needed in .the new contre, Kealey told reporters.) SER PAGE 4 Doctors'. plan to save hospital .Page2 1 Letters Page 12 TyTcmestyle esign and improvement feature SEE PAGES 16 TO 18